Unification of Aquitania
The Unification of Aquitania (Aquitanian: Aquitanische Vereinigung) officially occured on February 16th, 1507 with the signing of the Treaty of Waeschen, in which the Kings of Prussia, Wulffbein, Vladien and Ludonnia recognised the King of Arlathan, Richard the Great, as the Aquitanian Emperor (Kaiser). The Treaty of Gottingetz in the year 1178 between the five Aquitanian Kingdoms is considered by many historians as the placement of the first stone of the future Empire. Likewise, the establishment of the Nordlanderbund in 1323, the introduction of the ''Thalerunion ''customs union in the year 1399, and the undeniable fact that the kingdoms spoke the same language, were the most important factors that lead to Unification inthe 16th Century. Lesser factors that were heavily taken into consideration by modern and 19th century historians was that increased growth and pressure from the southern and eastern states, Yutschenia & Mirellia respectively, a feeling for the defence of the Aquitanian Kingdoms, coupled with the long remembered Sevintrian Occupation and the war for liberation waged to gain freedom from the Imperium further propelled the Kingdoms into Unification. Background At the turn of the 16th Century the Kingdoms of Aquitania already enjoyed broad union with the Thalerunion Customs Union, brought into effect in the year 1399, eliminating the trading barriers between each Aquitanian state's borders. Communication and travel, unlike other countries at the time, was well linked and established thanks to the Ancient Highways of the old Aquitanii Imperium, which enjoyed considerable investment and attention from the local Governments due to their strategic, economic and infrastructural value. Therefore, the Aquitanian states were not able to isolate each other sufficiently for radical changes in their cultural, linguistic or political characteristics that were so similar between them, despite the distances and obvious natural barriers, as were the Arlathanian Kahlts or the Prussian Strait. Commoner attempts at unification, using heroic emblems or symbols of Tridius the Great, were usual occurrances in late 15th and early 16th Century Aquitania, but these movements never grew in size or significance. In the year 1502, the Monarchs of the 5 Kingdoms gathered in Waeschen, Arlathan, to discuss further union under a single figure, noting external threats and inefficiencies in their respective armies whenever the Nordlanderbund called the Kingdoms to war. The Kings were more concerned with losing their lands to the Calzador-Constantinian, Yutscheck or Mirellian barbarians dwelling south of their historic country. The Treaty stopped short of naming a singel leader and the negotiations collapsed, only to be revived in 1507, where, Richard the Great, which happened to have an uncanny resemblance to Tridius and carried the full support and love of his people, proof of being a good King, was chosen to be the first Aquitanian Emperor. He was crowned in the Waeschen Scept in the historic throne of Tridius the Great. Treaty The Treaty of Waeschen had stark contrasts to the romantic depictions of the proclamation of the First Empire and to the Unification of Aquitania. The Treaty delineated the sovereignty of each and every Kingdom and Grand Duchy in the Empire, with special guarantees and clauses. The Emperor was the Absolute Monarch, advised by the Kaisertag "Council", an assembly of all the monarchs in the Empire. The following are the key clauses that were written and signed: *Official Unification of the Aquitanian States into a single Nation State *Richard Wolfkehr the Great and his heirs are Emperors of Aquitania *The Kingdom of Arlathan stands dissolved and devolved to a Grand Duchy *The House of Wolfkehr renounces all rights to the Arlathanian Territory *The House of Witthag receives the Grand Duchy of Arlathan for its heirs *The Sovereignty of every Kingdom and Grand Duchy is Guaranteed *The Armies of the four Kingdoms are respected and honoured by the Kaiser *Establishment of the Bundeswehr, the result of pooling the armies of all Kingdoms *Bundeswehr only legal during times of war, peril or off any Kingdom's Land *Bundeswehr may be present in any territory other than the Kingdoms *Bundeswehr may legally draft from these territories (Grand Duchies) Category:Aquitania